This invention relates to a sludge car and more particularly to a covered hopper car which has been converted to enable sludge to be hauled by rail.
Many sewage lagoons have become filled with sludge thereby rendering the lagoon inoperable. It has been found that the sludge may be removed from the lagoon and applied as a fertilizer to fields, pastures, etc. In many cases, the sludge must be transported considerable distances from the lagoons to the fields. It has been determined that the most economical method of transportation is by rail. However, to applicants' knowledge, no environmentally sound rail transport system was heretofore available for transporting the sludge from the lagoon to the remote location. Applicants have discovered that a conventional covered hopper car may be converted to accommodate sludge for transportation to a remote facility.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a sludge car for hauling sewage lagoon sludge by rail.
A further object of the invention is to provide a converted hopper car for hauling sludge by rail.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a sludge car including a plurality of individual hoppers therein which may be selectively emptied from either side of the car.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a sludge car including a manifold means for emptying the sludge therefrom with the manifold means including covered expansion joints to protect the manifold from damage upon twisting of the hopper car as it travels over the rails.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a sludge car which is environmentally safe to use.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a sludge car wherein the contents thereof may be conveniently unloaded therefrom.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.